Scott Derrickson Explains Why A New Helmer Was Brought In For Sinister 2

From the Paranormal Activity movies to The Purge and Insidious, Blumhouse Productions has been spinning out enticing horror franchises. The latest of these is Sinister, a paranormal murder-mystery that earned a sequel after pulling in an impressive $77 million worldwide, despite a lean production budget of just $3 million. Initially, it seemed a no-brainer that C. Robert Cargill and Scott Derrickson would reunite for Sinister 2, having written the first film together with the latter directing. However, Blumhouse is going in another direction, bringing in Ciarán Foy. But don't feel bad for Derrickson. He's all for the new hire.

"I remember reading the strong reactions people had to Citadel when it played at SXSW, so in January I watched it on VOD. I was struck by Ciarán’s confidence as a genre director, and how he sustained tension but also had a distinctively European cinema style and sensibility. That’s precisely what I was looking for in a director for Sinister 2 - somebody who could sustain tension but also had a classic sense of cinema style and control. He is also clearly very good with actors - including child actors - and that was also a requirement for the director of this film. And then when I met him, I was impressed by his intelligence and his unusual blend of humility and creative confidence. We could not have gotten a better director for Sinister 2."

Derrickson had announced Sinister 2's new director himself last week.

Sinister 2 news! The script, written by me & @massawyrm, will be directed by the talented Ciaran Foy. I will produce w/Jason Blum @blumhouse

@Massawyrm is Cargill, and as detailed above, he and Derrickson have reteamed to draft Sinister 2. The pair were first signed on to pen the project back in early 2013. Initially, Derrickson was in talks to helm Sinister 2, but it seems he's become more interested in starting up new ventures, like the recently announced Two Eyes Staring. He co-wrote that script with Paul Harris Boardman, his collaborator on the screenplay for Derrickson's feature directorial debut The Exorcism of Emily Rose.

Details on the plot of Sinister 2 are currently being withheld, but it's easy to predict the return of the creepy killer who terrorized the Oswalt family in the 2012 hit. Less likely to return is Ethan Hawke, for reasons we can't get into without treading into spoiler territory.

Word has it that Sinister 2 is on the fast track at Blumhouse with hopes of a 2015 release date. The sequel would mark only Foy's second film, making it his follow-up to the Derrickson-adored Citadel, which focuses on a father's mission to rescue his baby daughter from a pack of feral children. Check out its trailer below: